How to Make Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

These cupcakes are so incredible! (Read: these are nothing like the store bought ones.) And I'm going to teach you my method for making them. I love to share my recipes and I don't believe in keeping recipes secret - until it came to this recipe, that is. I'm not sure why, but this recipe is so perfect and so special that I didn't want to share. But I'm over it, so consider this your lucky day!

{I don't generally have the patience to take step-by-step photos, but I thought I'd try it here because frankly, I don't know how I'd explain the process using only words. Some of the photos are a little blurry, but hopefully you'll get the idea. I have whole new respect for you bloggers who take a picture of every step of a recipe!}

First, make the retro vanilla filling and the chocolate glaze (recipes follow). These can be made a day ahead. Then bake your cupcakes. I used this recipe (omitting the cinnamon) and it makes about 45 cupcakes. You want a nice flat cupcake, not a domed one. The secret is not to fill the liners too full - 1/2 to 2/3 full at the most. It's always tempting to fill the liners a bit more, but please try to resist!

After the cupcakes are completely cool, take a thin knife - this $5 Rada tomato knife is perfect - and cut at an angle, with the point of the knife near the bottom center of the cupcake, all the way around until you've cut an upside-down cone shape out of the cupcake. Note: the tomato knife also works wonders on a tomato! This is one handy knife that I use daily in my kitchen.

See how it comes to a point at the bottom?

Holding the cone with the pointed end up, slice off the pointed end with your knife. You'll end up with just the top layer of the cupcake plug. Discard (or eat) the cutaway scraps. Rest the "lid" on top of your cupcake and cut the remaining cupcakes in the same manner.

Here are the cupcakes all ready to be filled.

Fit a piping bag with a coupler and a medium-sized round tip and fill the bag with your vanilla retro filling.

Fill the hole with filling ...

...and replace the top of the cupcake. Press down lightly on the top.

Your cupcake will now look like this.

Dollop a spoonful of chocolate glaze on the top of the cupcake and spread it out with a small spatula or butter knife. Let this set for a few minutes before decorating.

Swap the tip of your piping bag filled with retro filling to a small round tip - around size 3 or so. Using a coupler on the piping bag makes it easy to change tips. Then pipe the characteristic squiggly on top,

or pipe whatever you like - an initial, stripes, dots, whatever tickles your fancy.

I'm pretty sure I could open a shop that sold only these cupcakes and it would be a roaring success...

But for now I'll settle for just eating them. Oh, and grab a fork - they're oooey, gooey, and delicious - the perfect meld of vanilla and chocolate with a hint of espresso!

Retro Vanilla Filling

1/4 pound or one stick of unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup or 2oz powdered sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 oz marshmallow creme (marshmallow fluff)

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and salt and blend well. Add the marshmallow cream and beat only until combined. Store at room temperature.

Chocolate Glaze

8 ounces or 1 cup sugar

3 ounces espresso

1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup or 1 ounce unsweetened cocoa

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 cup or 2 sticks butter

In a medium saucepan, bring the sugar and espresso to a boil. Whisk in the chocolates, cocoa powder, and salt until smooth.

Place the mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. On low speed, add the corn syrup and butter. Beat until smooth and cool. Store at room temperature. The mixture should be somewhat liquid so that it makes a smooth icing on the cupcake, but not so runny that it drips down the sides. If it is too stiff, you can microwave it for about 10 seconds once or twice until it is the correct consistency.